Fake gold sellers arrested

Kathmandu, November 12

Police have arrested six people from various places of Kathmandu for their alleged involvement in selling a large amount of fake gold.

A special team of Central Investigation Bureau today arrested six people who had allegedly sold one kilogram fake gold to Bhairahawa-based businesswomen. The tricksters had sold the fake gold to women at a lower price than the actual market price. Police said they had taken Rs 4 million from the lady.

CIB Deputy Superintendent of Police Kabit Katuwal, who led the investigation team, said they had received information that fraudsters who generally represent criminal gangs were operating the business for a few years. “We had received some five to seven such complaints, but this time we have successfully arrested some of them.”

DSP Katuwal said people who get cheated also hesitate to file complaint with the police as buying gold without paper work is illegal. “Normally people who buy gold through such channels also do not have good background, so when they realise they had been looted, they try to sort out the problem on their own.”

The arrested have been identified as Pawan Bishwakarma, 25, of Sunsari; Manish Dhungana, 35, of Dhanusa; Dhaneswor Kumar Danuwar, 25, of Sarlahi; Purna Bahadur Pulami, 26, of Sarlahi; Sangita Rai, 25, of Dhankuta and Santosh Kumar Lama, 29, of Parsa.

Police, however, said most of them were just middlemen who worked as facilitators between the buyer and seller. “They must not have actually met the real people who own fake gold,” said DSP Katuwal.

Police have seized Rs 1.5 million from Purna Bahadur Pulami and Rs 700, 000 from Sangita Rai.